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DIY Trumpet Skirt

The long, graceful shape of a trumpet skirt has been flattering figures for hundreds of years. Women of the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century wore trumpet skirts, as did American pioneer women and 1920s Englishwomen. Today, the trumpet skirt can be paired with a camisole, blazer or sweater for a modern, feminine look. The timeless design of a trumpet skirt is simple to sew, comfortable to wear and affordable. By stitching together rectangular and pie-shaped pieces of fabric, you can easily create your own one-of-a-kind trumpet skirt to show off.

Things You'll Need

Fabric scissors
Needle
Light or medium weight cotton or silk fabric
Matching thread
Measuring tape
Pins
Sewing machine (optional)

Instructions

- 1
  Measure the circumference of the largest part of your lower hips and buttocks using a measuring tape. Add 7 inches to the measurement, and divide that total number by 7. This new number will be measurement of the width of the rectangular shapes you will soon cut.
- 2
  Determine how long the trumpet skirt needs to be by measuring from your waist to the length you'd like the skirt to hit. Add 1 inch to the measurement.
- 3
  Lay out your fabric. Using fabric scissors, cut out seven rectangular shapes as long as the desired length of your skirt and the width you initially calculated.
- 4
  Take each rectangular piece and cut a narrow, triangular sliver from both sides of the tops of the fabric pieces. If the fabric has a discernible top or bottom, such as in a patterned fabric, be sure that all rectangular pieces are cut while laying the same way.
- 5
  Determine where you want the flare, also known as the gore, of the trumpet skirt to begin. Usually trumpet skirts begin to flare at the knees. Measure the distance from the desired top of the gore to the point at which your skirt ends. Add 1 inch to the measurement.
- 6
  Use the gore measurement to cut seven pie-pieced fabric shapes from the fabric. The sides of the pie-shaped pieces should be the same as the gore measurement.
- 7
  Pin all the pieces together with the right sides facing out. Alternate between sewing a rectangular shape and a pie-pieced shape. You will end up with a long piece of fabric that has alternating rectangular and pie-pieced shapes. Make adjustments where needed.
- 8
  Sew all the pieces together. Use a sewing machine or hand-sew the sections.
- 9
  Connect the trumpet skirt edges together by folding the edges over and using a zigzag stitch to close the skirt. Turn the skirt right side out.

Sewing